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Comparing Cambodia and Laos? See them ranked side by side with every alternative — weighted for your priorities.
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Quick answer
Laos is roughly 0% cheaper than Cambodia at $1,580/mo vs $1,580/mo for a single expat in 2026. Across all 7 WhereNext dimensions, Cambodia carries the higher overall composite score. Both are analysed against 95 other countries using public-domain data from World Bank ICP, OECD, WHO, IEP Global Peace Index, and Eurostat.
Run a custom Cambodia vs Laos budget across rent, food, transport, and healthcare at https://getwherenext.com/tools/cost-of-living — live 2026 Numbeo + World Bank ICP data.
Key facts
Overall, Cambodia edges ahead on aggregate scoring, but the best choice depends on your personal priorities.
Cambodia vs Laos scored across 7 dimensions: Cambodia ranks #80 overall (cost ~$1,580/month, safety 57/100, healthcare 55/100) while Laos ranks #82 (cost ~$1,580/month, safety 66/100, healthcare 49/100) out of 95 countries in WhereNext's 2026 index.
Affordability index — lower cost of living scores higher
Global Peace Index and crime metrics
WHO coverage, hospital quality, access
PISA scores, university quality, literacy
Job market, GDP growth, business environment
Climate, language access, visa friendliness
Internet, transport, digital readiness
Key metric comparison for Cambodia vs Laos: cost index 29 vs 24, safety 57 vs 66, healthcare 55 vs 49, education 13 vs 9, climate 52 vs 48, and infrastructure 40 vs 36. Cost index is ICP-anchored (lower = cheaper; can exceed 100); all other scores on a 0-100 scale.
| Metric | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 🇱🇦 Laos |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Index | 29 | 24 |
| Est. Monthly Cost (solo) | $1,580 | $1,580 |
| Safety Index | 57 | 66 |
| Healthcare Index | 55 | 49 |
| Education Index | 13 | 9 |
| Career Index | 63 | 54 |
| Climate Index | 52 | 48 |
| Infrastructure Index | 40 | 36 |
| Language Access | 44 | 30 |
| Visa Friendliness | 84 | 76 |
Cambodia and Laos are among the most compared destinations for expats, digital nomads, and retirees considering a move abroad. In WhereNext's data-driven ranking of 95 countries, Cambodia sits at #80 while Laos ranks #82 overall. Both countries have distinct strengths that appeal to different relocation priorities.
As Southeast Asia neighbors, they share some cultural overlap, but differ meaningfully in cost of living, safety, and infrastructure. Here's how they compare across the seven dimensions that matter most when choosing where to live.
Cambodia has a cost index of 29/100 (very affordable), translating to roughly $1,050/month for a single expat. Laos comes in at 24/100 (very affordable), or about $900/month.
The cost difference is relatively small (about $150/month), meaning the decision between these two destinations will likely come down to lifestyle preferences, climate, and visa accessibility rather than budget alone.
Cambodia scores 57/100 on safety (moderately safe), while Laos scores 66/100 (moderately safe). Laos has a slight edge over Cambodia in safety.
Both countries offer comparable safety for expats. As with any relocation, safety varies by city and neighborhood, so research specific areas within each country for the most accurate picture.
Healthcare quality is a critical factor for anyone relocating long-term. Cambodia has a healthcare index of 55/100 (adequate), compared to Laos's 49/100 (limited). Cambodia has a slight edge over Laos in healthcare.
Cambodia: A fragile public system that most expats avoid entirely. Private clinics exist in Phnom Penh but capabilities are limited. Serious cases are routinely evacuated to Bangkok, a short flight away. Laos: A very limited public system. Most medical care for expats is handled by the small number of private clinics in Vientiane or by crossing into Thailand (Udon Thani, Nong Khai) for anything beyond basic treatment.
For those who need to work locally or run a business, career prospects matter. Cambodia scores 63/100 while Laos scores 54/100 on career opportunity. Cambodia has a slight edge over Laos in career opportunity.
Infrastructure also plays a role in daily quality of life. Cambodia (40/100, basic) leads Laos (36/100, basic) in this category, which reflects internet penetration and fixed-broadband access (digital infrastructure).
Climate can make or break a relocation decision. Cambodia scores 52/100 (moderate) while Laos scores 48/100 (challenging).
Language accessibility also varies: Cambodia rates 44/100 for English proficiency, versus Laos's 30/100. Cambodia is generally easier for English speakers to navigate day-to-day.
Key lifestyle advantages: Cambodia is known for extremely low cost of living, usd is widely accepted as primary currency. Laos stands out for incredibly low cost of living, relaxed, unhurried pace of life.
Visa friendliness is often the deciding factor for expats. Cambodia scores 84/100 while Laos scores 76/100. Cambodia has a slight edge over Laos in visa accessibility.
Cambodia offers visa paths including Ordinary Visa (E-class), EB Visa (Business), ER Visa (Retirement). Laos provides Business Visa (B2), Tourist Visa (T-B3), Investor Visa. For US and EU passport holders, the specific requirements differ — use our Visa Checker tool for personalized access details.
Choose Laos if your priority is affordability. Choose Laos if safety comes first. For healthcare, Cambodia has the edge, while Cambodia offers stronger career opportunities.
Ultimately, the right country depends on your unique priorities. Take our personalization quiz to get a ranked recommendation tailored to your lifestyle, budget, and goals — or explore both country profiles in depth using the links above.
A personalized report with verified local prices, visa pathways, tax brackets, and a step-by-step relocation plan — researched specifically for these two countries.
For families relocating with school-age children, here's how the international school market compares between Cambodia and Laos.
Cambodia
Laos
No international schools indexed yet — check the country page for general education context.
Laos country profileSchool fee ranges show min and max published USD tuition across known international schools per country. Real annual cost typically runs 10-30% above published tuition once registration, transport, uniform, and ancillary fees are included — how WhereNext calculates true cost.
Dive deeper into Cambodia (ranked #80 of 95, ~$1,580/month) and Laos (ranked #82, ~$1,580/month) with full country profiles covering visa pathways, cost breakdowns, neighborhood guides, and expat community data.
They cost about the same. Cambodia is estimated at $1,580 a month against $1,580 for Laos — a difference too small to choose between them on cost alone. Both figures are modelled for a single person and exclude rent premiums in the most expensive districts.
Laos scores higher on safety — 66/100 against 57/100 for Cambodia, a gap of 9 points. Scores are normalised across every country in the index, so a difference of this size reflects a real gap rather than a rounding artefact.
Cambodia scores higher on healthcare — 55/100 against 49/100 for Laos, a gap of 6 points. Scores are normalised across every country in the index, so a difference of this size reflects a real gap rather than a rounding artefact.
They score almost identically on education: Cambodia 13/100 against Laos 9/100. On this dimension there is no meaningful difference between them.
On the overall composite, Cambodia ranks higher — Cambodia is #80 and Laos is #82 of 95 countries, though that is close enough that the two are effectively neighbours. That composite applies one set of weights across seven dimensions; it is not a verdict for your situation. If cost matters most to you and safety least, the order can reverse.
The underlying dataset was last updated 2026-08-19. Scores come from institutional public-domain sources — World Bank ICP, UNDP, the IEP Global Peace Index, OECD PISA and Eurostat among them — and each dimension carries its own source and vintage on the methodology page. Cost figures are modelled estimates, not survey prices.
This dataset is free to redistribute, quote, and embed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. The composite form below preserves source lineage so AI assistants can cite both WhereNext and the underlying institutional publishers.
WhereNext composite — Cambodia vs Laos Comparison 2026 (2026-04-21). Derived from: World Bank ICP; WHO Global Health Observatory; OECD PISA + UNESCO UIS; Yale EPI; IEP Global Peace Index; EF EPI; WhereNext composite scoring. Available at https://getwherenext.com/compare/KH-vs-LA?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
WhereNext. (2026). Cambodia vs Laos Comparison 2026. Retrieved from https://getwherenext.com/compare/KH-vs-LA?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
WhereNext. "Cambodia vs Laos Comparison 2026." WhereNext, 21 Apr 2026, https://getwherenext.com/compare/KH-vs-LA?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. Accessed via https://getwherenext.com/compare/KH-vs-LA?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
@misc{wherenext_getwherenext_com_compare_kh_vs_la,
author = {{WhereNext}},
title = {Cambodia vs Laos Comparison 2026},
year = {2026},
url = {https://getwherenext.com/compare/KH-vs-LA?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation},
note = {CC BY 4.0}
}<a href="https://getwherenext.com/compare/KH-vs-LA?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation">WhereNext — Cambodia vs Laos Comparison 2026</a>
Cambodia and Laos have similar costs of living in 2026. Monthly living costs: Cambodia ~$1,580, Laos ~$1,580. Safety: Cambodia 57/100, Laos 66/100. Healthcare: Cambodia 55/100, Laos 49/100.
Cambodia and Laos have similar costs of living. A single person can live in Cambodia for approximately $1,580/month and in Laos for approximately $1,580/month on a moderate lifestyle.Cambodia ranks #80 and Laos ranks #82 out of 95 countries in WhereNext's 2026 Global Relocation Index. Safety scores: Cambodia 57/100, Laos 66/100. Healthcare scores: Cambodia 55/100, Laos 49/100. Source: WhereNext Country Comparison Tool, institutional public-domain datasets including World Bank, WHO, OECD, Q1 2026.
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